Living in the present day world without
books has become more difficult than earlier. Especially when you
are travelling by train on long routes. Earlier people were more
docile and good speak to. Now one has to pick and choose as we do
not know if a person would want to speak to the next person or not.
Many are hooked to their android phones, some are talking loudly to
some one in some other city and some are out right glum. Some people
come as groups, all their things will be in place, they have most of
the things they want but will speak only with the members of their
group totally ignoring those around. If you travel near such a
group and if you are alone you would desperately need a friend to
talk to and that is where books come in.
These occasions will be wonderful if we
have our favourite books as the author will be our companion as long
as we want to. I had a book by Ruskin Bond as I related in one of my
earlier pieces. The book is named 'Friends in small places' Ruskin
Bond wrote touchingly and soothingly in great English prose which any
one would like to read and it will touch the reader, no doubt. In
the present book of stories he tells about a couple of his uncles in
different stories called Uncle Ken and Uncle Bill. Uncle Ken is a
great guy who lived mostly as the guest of his many sisters and as
the Authors Granny happened to be one of his sisters he turns up
there once in a while to enjoy her hospitality and search for
suitable employment nearby. Even though he succeeds at times before
long he comes back to his unemployed status and continue to live on
hospitality. Bonds beautifully puts before us the psychology of the
person in front of us but only through their simple actions and
speeches or dialogues which enthralls us as this could be any one met
in any of the families with whom we are in touch. At times you or I
can see someone of the same skin in our own families too.
In another story called Bansi and the
Aaya he relates us to the life in Dehra where he spent most of his
times writing his books and taking his long walks. As a little boy
with cheery eyes and ever observant of his surroundings, he tells us
about the everyday life and how a cart man comes in touch with the
family and he gives him occasional rides for free butr with the
condition he should provide some money for his tea which is agreed
upon. This favour he does to the child as he consider him as a
'Angrez'. The Angrez (The English) were held in great respect in
those days of far back when the British were in the ruling class.
The life of Bansi who keeps his horse cart and the way he gives
service for the needy taking a fee and how he keeps his horse clean
by giving it an occasional bath in the river etc. Is very neatly
etched out for the readers of posterity in touching style. Then in
the same story we are related to the Aaya (the maid servant) who is
ever envious of Bansi the cart man and in several of his advices to
little Bond she narrates all the vices Bansi is indulgent to. A
young and jealous woman's mind can't be more clearly put in. Without
writing he imparts the underlying feelings to the reader.
To top it all comes the story of Uncle
Bill, who worked as a Male Nurse in those days of old, around the
time of the Second war. His story is suspense ridden and gripping
but soothing in the hands of the author. Uncle Bill is a well
behaved and nicely mannered soft spoken person who administers a
powder to who so ever is close to him who can be of interest to him
and whose porperty and assets can pass on to him after they pass
away. Invariably the administration is secret and discreet without
any doubt to any one including the taker as it is almost always given
in any of the food or drink of the person. The suspense and anxiety
would increase when Mr. Bill turns up to take the hospitality of the
author as he is his only relative remaining. The story grips any
one who are lucky to read his book – friends in small places-
which keeps one in great spirits where ever one is. And when it is
in a train journey, it is a joy.
By the time people set bed and sleep
you would have covered quite a few pages and can go to bed in the
lovely hope of reading more the next morning as the benevolent
author keeps our soft anxiety on all the time.
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